June 10, 2013
In Memory of Ronald B. Herberman, MD
SITC Past President, Friend and Pioneer in the Field
The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of Ronald B. Herberman, MD, a past Society President, board member, long-standing believer and visionary in the field of cancer immunotherapy, and a dedicated friend to SITC and its mission for more than two decades.
As a prominent investigator and key opinion leader in the field, Dr. Herberman was elected to lead the Society as president from 1994-1996. Through present day, he played a critical role in charting and promoting the success of the Society, its initiatives, and brought an extremely strong commitment to improving the outcomes of cancer patients everywhere through biological therapies.
Dr. Herberman’s memory will also live on in SITC’s history for his work establishing the Society’s Forward Fund in 2011. Along with Michael B. Atkins, MD, and others, they worked tirelessly in creating the fund from the ground up which promotes education, research, and development in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Today, the Forward Fund works to attract the brightest young minds in cancer and immunology research to the field of cancer immunotherapy and supports several awards and educational initiatives for students and early career scientists.
Dr. Herberman also played a crucial role in advancing the Society as an organizer to several of SITC’s Annual Meetings. Dr. Herberman helped create a format with valuable opportunities for networking between all aspects of the field and helped to expand strategic interactions and partnerships to improve clinical application of cancer immunotherapies. Today, as we prepare for our 28th Annual Meeting, Dr. Herberman’s hard work and dedication is still felt in every aspect.
Also serving on SITC’s Executive Council and through his work with the Society’s 2012-2015 Strategic Plan Committee, Dr. Herberman played an integral part in laying the groundwork necessary to successfully achieve the mission of the Society today and for years to come.
In addition to his critical roles in SITC, Dr. Herberman was the founding director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), author to over 700 publications, and was the recipient of numerous prestigious awards throughout his career.
“His reputation as a strong supporter of bench-to-bedside immunotherapy and a fair and direct leader of the UPCI played a major role in my decision to move to Pittsburgh," Lisa Butterfield, PhD, Assoc. Professor of Medicine at UPCI, said.
Dr. Herberman was an internationally recognized tumor immunologist whose discoveries increased our understanding of tumor development and progression, and led to novel approaches for preventing metastatic spread. He’s responsible for discovering natural killer (NK) cells and characterizing NK-mediated cytotoxicity of malignant and virally infected cells. He was also a pioneer in the development of biological response modifiers, such as interferons and interleukins, to augment the action of NK and other immune cells via effects on their proliferation, activation, cytotoxicity, or homing to and accumulation within tissues.
“Ron promoted the modern development of cellular therapies and will always be known for his championship of both NK cells as well as dendritic cells in the treatment of patients with cancer,” Michael Lotze, MD, Professor of Surgery, Immunology and Bioengineering at UPCI, said.
Our sincere condolences go to Dr. Herberman’s wife Harriett, his children Holly and Steven, and the rest of his family. He has touched countless lives including those he has worked with directly, and others indirectly through his discoveries and accomplishments in the field. His family has recommended that donations in honor of Dr. Herberman be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, or alternatively to the Environmental Health Trust, of which he was Chairman of the Board.
To read the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's article on Dr. Herberman, click here.
